Chase's Will
by AprilRyn
Summary: There have always been stories of confrontations with the opposite faction, and how it leads to something more. When a dwarf and blood elf encounter each other in Stranglethorn Vale, neither of them expect to develop such a tangible connection. BelfxDwarf
1. Chapter 1

-Stranglethorn Vale-

Elrodren was roaming through Stranglethorn vale, in the process of hunting gorillas. He needed the pelts, unless he wanted to live in the woods... again. He sighed, skinning the gorilla pelt in his lap. Hearing a yawn from his companion, Elrodren smirked at the silver colored wolf, who was in the midst of stretching. The blood elf hunter put down his skinning knife to playfully ruffle the wolf's already disarrayed fur. Said canine growled softly in response, shaking its head, disorganizing the fur even further.

"Yes, I know you're bored." the brunette chuckled with amusement, "I just have to finish this pelt, then we can go hunt, ok?" the wolf gave him a look of suspicion, then seemed to sigh in defeat before laying down for a nap on a nearby tree root.

"_We need the gold._" Elrodren whispered under his breath.

Sometimes he wondered if the Chase had ever been human in a previous life, rather, had ever stood on two legs. The wolf had always surprised the elf with his mannerisms, going to such lengths just short of actually standing on two feet. It was almost as if the wolf wanted to be more than Elrodren's pet. He knew Chase could understand almost anything his partner said, which is why Elrodren really didn't want the wolf to realize the very tangible possibility of them sleeping in the jungle tonight if he didn't procure enough skins to satisfy Blixrez. Not that the wolf minded sleeping outdoors, he just knew what it meant for the both of them.

The hunter kept to his work for a few moments before he finished the skinning, placing the gorilla pelt in his bag. He stood up, taking a great breath of thick jungle air before looking to his hunting companion. The wolf gave him a look from where he sat that clearly displayed his irritation if Elrodren were only stretching. Said elf laughed merrily, reaching for his pack, quiver, and twin swords; as Chase quickly scrambled to attention in anticipation of some real action.

The two travelers, the hunter and his wolf, scoured Stranglethorn Vale for the greater part of the afternoon, pausing for meal breaks accordingly. Elrodren took these alloted times to refine his skinning on the pelts they had freshly killed, skimming off some of the leftover meat for Chase to enjoy. He was about to reach over and awaken the clearly drowsy canine, when the sound of shouting reached his sensitive ears. Standing slowly with his weapons at hand, Elrodren went to investigate the noise. It sounded like a fight, and for some reason or another, didn't think of the need for his companion to be with him. Cautiously stalking through the jungle, the sight that met his eyes caused many emotions to run through the elf's mind, not the least of which was curiosity.

"_Judgement of Light!_" he heard the dwarven female in front of him shout at the Stranglethorn tiger. Injured, but not felled as of yet, the feline swiped at the woman angrily. She dodged, and ended the scuffle with a final Exorcism spell. The tiger landed on the grass with a muffled thump, dead as a doornail. He looked on in curiosity as she chopped off the right paw and stuffed the appendage in her own pack.

Elrodren wished he could see the look on her face from his vantage point as she had done so, most women were rather grossed out by the task, as he had done it before with... A friend.

The paladin started off away from the body, seemingly rushed. He was about to follow her, when she paused mid-step. She whipped around to face her alleged stalker, surprise quickly turning to annoyance as written on her face. He was taken aback by her quickly changing features, noting the fury now plastered on her face.

Elrodren had little time to admire her various physical qualities before she charged toward him, sword at the ready. He risked not defending himself as she managed to tackle him to the ground. He would have laughed if he wasn't busy trying to breathe in her furious choke hold. Man, did she have some serious strength! The dwarven female glared at the elf, partially confused as to why he wasn't fighting back. She loosened her grip slightly, while still making sure he was unable to escape.

Elrodren then took some time letting his eyes wander over her body. He admired her accentuated hips, taking in the curves as they defined her shape. His eyes wandered to her chest, where the lack of exposure suddenly made him hot under the collar. It was the subject of great embarassment to admit to his friends that poorly concealed cleavage was not nearly as much of a turn on as imagining it under those clothes.

Rather, the thought of uncovering something kept from other wandering eyes was extremely arousing.

Elrodren berated himself as he remembered his predicament. Becoming aroused would most likely aggravate the situation. He tried to free his arms, only to find that they were hopelessly pinned down under the female's knees. This action also resulted in his air supply becoming momentarily taken away as a warning against any sudden movements. Once he regained precious oxygen, the elf couldn't help himself as he continued checking the dwarf out.

He admired the surprisingly smooth features of her face as her glistening blue-gray eyes caught his attention. The raw emotion displayed in her simple gaze shocked him. He could see the rage clearly, while the underlying pure confidence truly surprised him. When he looked in the eyes of other women, he almost always saw the doubt, the insecurity, the fear of loneliness in their eyes. Even if it was concealed by a more prominent emotion, it was always there.

But in a rare few—being an almost non-existent trait in female blood elves—this was not the case. This dwarf female was one of that rare breed. She had certainty. Almost overwhelming with self-confidence. He could see her utmost tangible belief in herself; that even if she died by his hand, she would regret nothing. Noticing his fascination with her eyes, the paladin adopted a look of confusion and well-founded curiosity.

"_Just what **are **ye' staring at, elf?_" she hissed softly in common, as if to herself in contemplation. He smiled at her slightly, which resulted as more smirk-like than genuine. Elrodren noted her increasing curiosity and decreasing rage, deciding to put his one language talent to good use.

"_You,_" He replied plainly in common as her eyes widened in amazement. Most blood elves had let go of that particular tongue, dubbing it as solely alliance rubbish not important enough to keep. She regained her senses as she remembered where they were, increasing her grip on his neck. He grimaced, trying to hide his discomfort. He had a feeling she would not extend any sort of mercy upon him.

"_Well then. Aren't **you** a smart one?" _she rolled her eyes. That was probably the only word besides 'die' or 'lol' that he knew in common anyway. Smart ass. "_Why were ye' following me? On the prowl fer alliance tail?_" All men were the same. Fighting, or women, while pursuing both if possible.

Especially Blood elves. Now _those_ were men with no decency. Had no respect for the opposite sex, constantly looking for a score, when they weren't fighting for the 'glory of the Sin'dorei' or some such nonsense.

Elrodren smirked, amused by the dwarven accent that clearly bled into her common speech. He laughed lightly, considering the position he was in, she was being awfully friendly.

"_I didn't follow **you**,_" he told her, taking in the expressive eyes that graced her face, "_I followed your shouting. You have some nice lung power there._" he finished, indicating her chest with his emerald eyes. Assuming that he clearly was commenting on her breasts, she slapped him with her left hand. Seeing stars, and wondering if he said something he had not intended to, Elrodren opened his mouth to correct himself. She increased her grip once again, and he found himself unable to speak. She glared at the elf below her furiously.

"_Let me tell you something, __**Horde scum**__,_" she spat at Elrodren, the fury once again overwhelming her features, "_Women don't like it when ye' treat 'em like toys. If ye' keep hunting me, I'll kick yer sorry ass back to Silvermoon after I make sure ye' can't ever face yer woman in bed._"

With that, she strode away, meeting her previously hidden horse on the nearby path. Oh how he wanted to follow her, but he really didn't want to wager his manhood. Elrodren wearily made his way back to his belongings, where he found Chase sitting at attention with an accusatory stare. The brunet sighed, rubbing his neck thoughtfully where the dwarf had practically squeezed the life out of him. She really was something. Her confidence alone had made him hot under the collar, never mind the fact that they were in a steamy jungle, one on top of the other, and that she was wearing all that armor.

Sensing his obviously lecherous thoughts, Chase nipped the elf's hand. Elrodren scowled at the action, slightly annoyed that the wolf interrupted his fantasy. Then he remembered what they were both out here for, and went back to it. He only had a couple hours left to get the pelts to Booty Bay. Maybe he'd see her there. Another nip to his gloved hand brought the elf out of his thoughts, making his way on foot to the neutral port.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O:D

Well, that's the end of chapter one! I have more of the story available for posting, but I haven't finished it, so I want to spread out what I do have done :)

Expect a new chapter in about 2 months.

...April Fools from AprilRyn!

Please review, as I do appreciate helpful comments. Flames will be used to keep my cold heart warm during the winter months.


	2. Chapter 2

**Finally, after almost a year, chapter two! I have to confess that this has been sitting in my computer for at least a year, but hopefully it's still as good as I imagined while writing it.**

**I don't own Warcraft, or any characters created by Blizzard. I do however, own my OCs. I realize that some people might be offended by a blood elf/dwarf pairing, but just keep an open mind. There are more controversial ideas, _that_ I know.**

**Enjoy!**

**o_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O_**

Deigra stared at her mug, tossed between wishing for it to break into flames and wanting to drown in it. That Blood Elf was something else. It was times like this that she enjoyed being on her own. She didn't know what possessed her to let him live, as Azeroth would obviously be a better place without guys like him. She sipped her tea, almost moaning at the feeling of the liquid pouring over her tongue. She loved tea, a fact which invoked the laughter of many a dwarf. Alcohol did nothing for her, except make her ill. Which made Brewfest a nightmare to attend. So she camped out during that holiday, choosing nature over hungover dwarves. It was only considered a bonus that she miss out on the lecherous advances and insults that were thrown her way. Plus there was usually an awkward proposal thrown in there for dramatic effect. She didn't have the spirit to shoot down another one, still emotionally burdened from the last one.

Yes, Hardan was a bastard. He was clearly driven by lust when he proposed to her, and she saw this. But his reaction at being rejected practically destroyed almost all of her relationships with other dwarves. Almost no one wanted to associate with her after he spread that awful rumor. He told his drinking buddies the day after that she had said yes to him, and then he found her in another's bed. It was one of the ultimate treacheries to commit adultery in dwarven society, especially if you're considered to be newly engaged. He may have said it in a drunken stupor, but they still took it very seriously. She couldn't even force him to confess to his wrongs, because slander was even worse at that level of betrayal. He'd be banned from Ironforge, and basically shunned by every dwarf. Which is what he deserved, being that he wasn't even remorseful for ruining her reputation, essentially banishing her to the same fate.

Deigra laughed darkly at the irony. She was a slut, while still managing to keep her virginity. She drank the rest of her tea, angsting all the while. Her train of thought was broken when she heard the squeaky voice of the Salty Sailor tavern bartender reach her ears.

"Do you want another tea, miss?" the goblin asked, rubbing his hands together awkwardly. She looked at him dejectedly before nodding her head and scooting her mug in his direction. He nodded at her, grasping the mug in his smaller hands, "Thistle tea, I presume?" he questioned. She nodded absentmindedly, going back to her thoughts of the infuriating elf.

Hours passed before anyone noteworthy traversed through the doors to the inn. Deigra looked up from her sixth mug of the evening to spot the elf of her frustrations heading toward the counter. She heard him order a Cherry Grog and a homemade cherry pie, before he struck up a casual conversation. Something about Blixrez being cheap... Or a creep. Her orcish was elementary at best. They laughed together, before the bartender gave him his order, and then the Blood elf searched the room for a seat. Deigra tried to look casual so as to not attract his attention, but it was no use as she heard the scrape of the chair across from her. She wished him away with her mind, but looked up to find his smirking face in the seat next to her. Looking away to stare at her mug, Deigra tried to ignore his presence.

"So I see you already picked your poison." he said thoughtfully, biting into a piece of his cherry pie. He bit back a moan as the taste registered with his tongue. He loved pie, which made _him_ the butt of a lot of jokes in Silvermoon. She looked at him with an eyebrow raised, emitting a snort of amusement.

"It's not any form o' _booze_," she said, taking a sip of her tea. She chuckled darkly at his expression of slight amazement, "Yes, tis a shock, seein' a dwarf without a mug o' ale by their side, righ'?" He continued to look at her with that same expression as he took a sip of his Cherry Grog.

"No," he said thoughtfully, choosing his next words carefully. He didn't know if he remembered all his vocabulary, "I find it more surprising that you're regretful it's not. Considering how cheap alcohol is here in booty bay..." he trailed off, the pause asking his question for him. It was her turn to look at him in wonder. She scowled at him, clenching her mug in a vice-like grip.

"Well, it's _none o' yer business_, but ye'll find I'm probably te' only dwarf tha' gets sick on ale. Congratz on yer _'rare find'_." she bit her words, glaring at his scowling face. He's probably put out that she doesn't want to party. She took a swig of her tea, noticing with dismay that it was almost finished. He looked at her with—what was that? Concern? She held back a laugh, choosing to down the rest of her tea instead. He didn't know what to say, totally at a loss for words. Deigra took this opportunity to go get herself more tea. As she walked to the bar, the male elf couldn't help admiring the view. He didn't realize that she had such fiery red hair when he found her in Stranglethorn. He was absentmindedly wondering if the carpet matched the drapes, when she returned to her seat. She looked at her table companion before taking a sip of her newly filled mug.

"Yer lucky Booty Bay is neutral," she told him, gaging his expression. She was disappointed to see a smirk play over his features, "Otherwise, I'd give in te' the temptatin' thought of kickin' yer butt for darin' te' sit with me." He laughed heartily at this, causing her to smile a bit as well. Was she flirting with him? Neither of them knew the answer. He gazed at her, causing the dwarf to be taken aback by the inner attraction she saw in his eyes.

"Back to Silvermoon, I assume?" He teased, leaning towards her to try and make her flustered.

"Yea, an' don't forget ye'd be unable te' face yer girl." She teased back, unknowingly letting a little jealousy seep into her words. His eyes widened a fraction. Was she actually jealous? He laughed again at the absurd notion, causing a pleasant shiver to creep up her spine.

"Alas, I do not have anyone to share that particular awkward moment with." He said playfully, before excusing himself to grab another drink. It was her turn to admire his features. She, like most other female dwarves, liked their men to have long hair. Of course for them it was a weird beard fetish, while she craved long locks from their heads. She also admired his nicely shaped buttocks, praising all the gods that he seemed to like wearing tight pants. She found herself wondering if the warm brown colored hair on his head matched downstairs, when he came back with his second drink.

"Miss me?" He asked with the elven voice that other women swooned over.

"Not a bit. I was enjoyin' the alone time." she joked, taking a sip of her tea. Just when she was getting comfortable talking to him, another dwarf entered the tavern. He bee-lined for the counter, not having spotted her yet. She looked at the other dwarf cautiously. Did she know him? The elf next to her followed her worried gaze across the room, fixating on the other male. Why did he put her on edge? When said male turned around, he felt her mood instantly brighten. The other dwarf finally noticed her, smiling broadly as he approached their table. He stopped short of the table to throw the blood elf a wary gaze before he continued to sit down.

"What's with te' elf?" He asked her, indicating the object of his concern with his brown eyes.

"Jus' yer friendly neighborhood stalker." She replied absentmindedly, fixated on drowning herself in tea. Said elf scowled at the both of them.

"The stalker—_elf _has a name." He stated, fixating his annoyance on the two dwarves he was nuts enough to sit with. The other male looked taken aback at the stream of common coming from the elf's mouth. Deigra looked at both of them with amusement, a smirk adorning her features.

"Yea, what would tha' be, anyways?" She asked the elf, adopting a look of seemingly intense interest. He glared at her, thinking she was going to start a fight between him and the other male sitting at their table.

"Elrodren," he said simply, before deciding to mess with her a little, "You know, we've been sitting here all this time, and you haven't told me your name either." he smirked, seeing the look of curiosity on the male dwarf's face. She scowled at Elrodren, cursing the amount of questions her dwarf friend was sure to ask her when they were alone. Taking another sip of her tea, she sighed.

"Ye call me Deigra. Nothin' more, nothin' less, ye hear?" she told him, hopefully expressing her hatred for nicknames. She had enough of those from other dwarves, thanks. He smiled mischievously, catching the underlying threat in her words. The male dwarf looked at both his table mates, seriously considering the possibility they had both lost their minds.

"Ye—...Ye can call me Agran." He said to Elrodren, staring intently at his own mug as if it were going to come alive. There was always that possibility when Horde and Alliance members became chummy. He was very much considering the possibility that someone had spiked his ale. The last time he saw Deigra truly smile... Was many a year ago. Apparently his friendship with her was not enough to make her happy. This made Agran scowl slightly before composing himself, remembering that he spent almost no time in her company these days. His wife did not appreciate her husband's friendship with Deigra as much as he did.

The three sat there for another hour, Agran looking still slightly uncomfortable as the two other occupants of the table carried on their passive-aggressive banter. The elf was even able to get the fiery female to flirt with him. Feeling out of place, he made a move to leave the table.

"Siena need ye' home soon?" Deigra questioned teasingly. He nodded, pushing in his chair. She rolled her eyes and took a hearty gulp of her fifth mug of tea.

"She really does have a tight leash on ye'," she continued, the mirth apparent in her eyes, "We don' want te' keep the married man from 'is wife."

Agran smiled and chuckled, laughing at her disdain for her friend's mate. She rolled her eyes, returning to her drink.

"If it makes ye' feel any better, she hasn' seen hair o' hide of me for near a month." Agran laughed, knowing that Deigra would enjoy any small discomfort felt by his love.

"Well, te' little snob deserves tha' much," Deigra said, pretending to think deeply, "I jus' wish it wasn' at te' cost of makin' me friend such a horny bastard."

Agran laughed good-naturedly, moving from his seat to give his childhood friend a pat on the back.

"Well, I'll tell her ye' said hi," the male dwarf said, giving one last look from behind Deigra to a seemingly amused elf, "an' ye' take care of ye'selves." He gave a pointed look to the elf that plainly said _'no funny business'_.

Elrodren gave a nod in reply, a sly smirk permeating the attempted innocent smile. He took a deep sip of his cherry grog, hiccuping lightly. He looked at the object of his fixation, once again relishing her features. She took a sip of her tea. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, she looked up from her mug, meeting Elrodren's eyes in a captivating stare. Normally she hated to look into the eyes of blood elves because they had an effect of almost hypnotizing her. Which was awkward in the midst of battle. But with him, she felt almost at peace. Like he was a source of warmth and support that she could truly count on. It shocked her how much she liked and seemed to need that feeling. Deigra couldn't remember the last time anyone offered such a comfort.

"Why are ye' even talkin' te me?" Deigra sighed under her breath, almost mournfully. Elrodren's eyes widened as his ears caught words not meant for them. Her demeanor had changed completely. The brimming confidence and self esteem that was once there was wavering, and he had a feeling that he was partially to blame for this. The simple fact of meeting a blood elf who didn't want to kill her, one who acknowledged his broken connection to the alliance, was probably putting her beliefs completely into question. He didn't know the specifics, but he could sense that the strong woman sitting at the table with him had some deep scars that had threatened to break her. Ones that were not necessarily physical. He was empathetic, because he could tell that her reasons were not shallow.

"I _chose_ to talk to you because you fascinate me." Elrodren told Deigra, leaning across the table, his chin resting on his palm. The red headed female blushed and her eyes widened, remembering that he had better hearing than the average dwarf. She looked at him from behind her mug, judging whether or not he was messing with her.

"An' _why_ do ye' think me te' be so _fascinatin_'?" The red headed female inquired. Elodren could see the beginning of a smirk, the wall of confidence was being repaired. Smiling wider, the hunter leaned closer to his new companion, almost leaning over more than half the table. He appeared to be thoughtful, before leaning slightly closer to the dwarf.

"Well, if I have to say, it would be because not only did you spare my life, after kicking my sorry butt.." Elrodren started, slowly inching closer. Deigra looked into his eyes, trying to remain indifferent, but really hanging on to every word.

"But you have the most.. Captivating fighting style." He continued, smirking at her blush. She had lowered her glass, and was completely fixated on him.

"Nothing else?" she teased lightly, leaning on the table.

"You also have this brimming confidence that I find extremely..." he paused to whisper in her ear, "_Addictive_.." He finished with a devious smirk. Deigra blushed profusely, seemingly frozen, her eyes wide in amazement. She shivered, shook her head, and stood from the chair.

"I-I need te' go." She threw a gold tip to the barkeep and all but ran from the tavern. Elrodren looked rather confused, choosing to finish his drink before tossing his tip to the barkeep. He walked up the stairs to his room, absorbing the recent events.


	3. Chapter 3

_Wooded greenery opened across the land, seemingly endless in nature. The forest was singing in bliss, creating a peaceful environment of beauty. Elrodren walked lazily through the trees, taking in the scenery with an appreciation common to those who rarely experience such times of calm. Flowers had bloomed in random assortments, adding minute elegance every so often. The scent in the air that caressed his face every so often could not be depicted in words, its loveliness indescribable by both man and elf._

_A sound to which he never thought he would enjoy so deeply reached Elrodren's finely tuned ears, a blissfully genuine smile appearing upon his face. As he turned the corner, the elf was shocked to tears as the scene unfolded before him._

_He saw Deigra, in all her dwarven glory, standing with her back towards him. She was leaning against the proud trunk of a tree, dressed in a white gown of linen, her longer hair braided in the back. He approached her casually from behind, set himself down against the tree, and pulled her into his lap; wrapping his arms around her in a way that felt so natural. Startled, she looked up at him with those storm-grey eyes of hers that seemed to capture his soul. Deigra smiled, timeless bliss written onto her confident features. She gestured to the opening in the forest ahead of them, laughing at the antics of the two children playing together._

_As he looked closer at the two, he was astonished to see traits common to both Deigra and himself. Elrodren studied the younger of the two, a girl no more than seven years old. She had her mother's stature, as well as those trademark storm eyes. He was pleasantly surprised to note that she had her father's elven heritage in her face and long hair, with ears that were slightly pointed. He watched as she parried her older brother's strokes of a wooden sword, choosing to use her feet when the situation presented itself. Elrodren's eyes fell next onto the slightly older male. He smiled wider as he noted the fiery resemblance in the young man's expression, complementing his similarly short fiery hair. He was the taller of the two, looking more like his father in stature, and his mother in facial features. Elrodren felt so proud watching his two children play, remembering the times in his childhood when his brother would spar with him in such a way._

_He brought his gaze back to his wife, still resting in his lap, and locked eyes with her. Their faces grew closer together, his long hair draping down to brush gently against her face. She laughed, brushing the brown locks away from her face. He smiled, caressing her face with his hand before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss, a seemingly familiar pleasure coursing through him._

_He felt an unfamiliar sensation in his hand. Breaking the kiss, he looked to the source, surprised to feel his unborn child kicking him from within his wife. Deigra looked to her husband, smiling wider as he brought his hands around her growing abdomen in fascination. She placed her hands over his, leaning further into his embrace. She closed her eyes and sighed, a smile still on her face as she drifted off to sleep. He looked once again to his children playing in the distance before joining his love in slumber._

Elrodren woke with a start, looking around his room in the tavern. Disappointment gripped him in the worst way, wishing that the dream was real. He looked to a snoring Chase, snickering as the wolf's paws twitched. He was oh so very tempted to tickle his paws. The elf yawned, looking out a small window to the hustle and bustle of a morning in booty bay. He could see various shady vendors selling their questionable wares, experienced adventurers going past them to purchase from legitimate traders that had their own shops.

He left the comfort of his bed, putting on his armor. Chase awoke at the movement, greeting his partner with a happy yawn.

"You always were a morning person... Wolf.." Elrodren chuckled lightly, ruffling the silver fur. Chase play-growled before gripping Elrodren's discarded bow on the floor, dropping the wooden implement in the elf's awaiting hand. Elrodren picked up his quiver and one-handed sword at the same time, setting them into place before grabbing his bags and attaching them to his waist.

Eating breakfast in the tavern, Elrodren considered the possibility of seeing Deigra again. He had probably freaked her out, and was certainly on the first boat out of booty bay. He sighed, knowing that he let another one get away. But she was different. She seemed... Permanent. For the first time in his elven life, he wanted something permanent. His dream came back to him only in blurry images, but even so, he still knew that he wanted the dream to become a reality. Maybe not right away, as there was time for adventure, but eventually.

0_0_0_0_0

I hope that wasn't too confusing of a chapter. Also, sorry it's so short. I wanted to post something, since I received the much-needed review from Shu'halo. Thanks for reminding me that this fic exists. Don't get me wrong, I still love writing it, but with finals over the next two weeks and my upcoming internship, it wasn't exactly on my mind. I also don't play WoW anymore, as it is rather expensive and time consuming. I still love it though.

Any constructive feedback is welcomed, and any flames will be put to good use as light to study by.

Also, I claim nothing but my OCs and the storyline itself. Any NPCs and environments used are purely of Blizzard origin. Unfortunately.


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